Automotive Development Group was started in May of 2002 by Joel Kansanback. As is the case for many successful start ups ADG was started to fill a void in the market place. At that time and to a large extent today, dealers have had few choices when selecting their F&I provider. They could go with the manufacturer, one of the big box solutions or an agent.

In most instances each of these choices left the dealer with a shortcoming in one of these key areas:

• Reinsurance
• Product strength/flexibility/suitability
• Training and Development
• Continuity and consistency of representation
• Professionalism

So Automotive Development Group was born with the idea that a dealer shouldn’t have to settle. They shouldn’t have to give up in dealership income development to get quality name brand F&I products and they shouldn’t lose reinsurance possibilities if they choose to do business with a company with local roots and low turnover. In fact the dealer should be able to have it all.

Early on it became clear that there was an appetite for this approach. Dealers were tired of broken promises and they were tired of the “my way or the highway” tactics that had been employed by so many for so long. With training as the back bone ADG began to add dealers and slowly began to make a name for themselves as a trusted dealer partner for driving results, developing people and building reinsurance wealth.

In 2004 Bill Kelly became a partner in Automotive Development Group and began to introduce this new Super Agency concept into the Illinois and Indiana markets. In 2009 ADG Capital and Consulting was formed with partners Kirk Kleckner, Bill Kelly and Joel Kansanback

ADGCC is able to pull together a unique set of dealership business expertise that assists dealer groups in implementing strategies to sustain competitive advantages in their marketplace. In 2011 Dealer Admin Services was formed to allow ADG clients to have a flexible and cost effective administration solution for their ancillary product needs. In 2013 ADG acquired Midwest Dealer Services and with that acquisition a 50% interest in South Dakota Dealer Services.